Batman on the subway boosts seat-offering by 80%

Unexpected events and prosocial behavior: the Batman effect

A field experiment in the Milan metro found that the presence of a person dressed as Batman significantly increased the likelihood that passengers would offer their seat to a pregnant woman. In the control condition, 37.66% of passengers gave up their seat, but with Batman present, the rate jumped to 67.21%. The effect was substantial, with an odds ratio of 3.39, even though many helpers did not consciously notice Batman. The findings suggest that unexpected, non-threatening disruptions to routine can enhance prosocial behavior, possibly by increasing present-moment awareness or acting as a prosocial prime.